The
first time is a very brief opening shot. The camera pans (from right to
left) a downtown skyline and a bridge, as a boat sails down a blue channel.
Reaching the left bank, we see a glimpse of green lawn, followed by a large
sign reading "Miami Tribune".

The
scene then cuts to the interior of the newspaper, where Lundy is holding
a meeting with the newspaper management, negotiating the printing of a
story about the "Bay Harbor Butcher".

The
second time is a few seconds later, when we see Debra & Bundy
strolling together outside the newspaper office, on a sidewalk winding
through a green lawn. She congratulates him on convincing the newspaper
to play down the story.

They
come to a bench next to the path, semi-hidden behind a palm tree, and Debra
prompts Lundy to sit down and have lunch there.

While
they're eating, she opens up to him about her fears, and it becomes clear
that she's becoming romantically interested in him. Sensing that, he begins
to explain how much older than her he is, but she stops him with a kiss.

Q.
What is it actually in real life?

A. The exterior
of a seaside hotel, and its sidewalk (which runs along the shore).

Q.
Where can I find it in real life?

A. This
was shotat the Hotel Maya, at
700 Queensway Drive,in Long Beach.
The sidewalk path is on the east side of the hotel, next to the water.
The bench is located behind a palm tree just beyond the sidewalk,
just south of the main hotel building.

The
Hotel Maya is located right on the water, just southeast of the southwest
end of the Queensway Bridge, just north of the Queen Mary. It has a fine
view, across the river, of the Shoreline Park and the downtown Long Beach
skyline.

They
shot several other season 2 scenes at the Hotel Maya, including the scene
where Dexter & Lila have drinks at a sunny poolside
cafe, the scene where Dexter & Lila go to an expensive
restaurant after dark, and a scene that is supposed to be outside the
police station.

Just
to the south is a small dock that was used for the dock
scene where Doakes shoots a dark-ops agent on a boat.

And
just to the north are the launch ramps where they filmed the crime scene
on the rocky breakwater.

The
Queensway Bay Bridge, seen behind them
in this scene, was also used in scenes in both the second and third seasons.

The
hotel can be reached either by taking the Long Beach (710) Freeway
to it's south end, or from downtown Long Beach by taking the Queensway
Bridge across the river.

If
you plan to visit, be warned that the hotel can be rather difficult to
reach. It's basically at the end of the 710 (Long Beach) Freeway, but the
main roads leading on and off that dock offer little access to the hotel.
For that, you have to turn off on a small, winding side road known
as Queensway Drive. Be sure to study a map of the area before you
go

(
I shot the photos below in 2008)

The
red arrow below
points at the bench where Debra & Lundy sat - looking southeast.
(The ocean liner seen in the background is the historic Queen Mary.)